Chris Grier – April 29, 2016 (on Kenyan Drake)
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Friday, April 29, 2016
General Manager Chris Grier (on RB Kenyan Drake)
(On Kenyan Drake’s injury history and the team’s confidence in his health going forward) – “We’re good. Obviously with every player, he’s been to the combine, and the doctors have done the whole work up on him. I always tell the story, I was in New England when we took Curtis Martin. And everyone said, ‘Why are you guys taking Curtis Martin, he’s always hurt and never made it.’ Curtis, the year he came out as a junior, he only played two games. So Curtis has gone on to be a Hall of Famer. I’m not saying this is Curtis Martin, but I think every player you always have to look at … Jake Long never missed a game at Michigan and unfortunately here his career (was) kind of ravaged by injuries. Obviously he got off to a great start. I think you take it into account, but you never let it determine the player’s value and where you take him.”
(On what skills of Drake’s drew the team to draft him) – “Yeah, he’s got a unique skillset for us. You know, obviously with the group we have, he adds an explosive element that we’ve lost with Lamar (Miller) leaving. This guy’s a good receiver out of the backfield, so you can do a lot of stuff with him. So we love the versatility he adds and I know (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is really high on him as well.”
(On if it’s essential to have a three-down back in the team’s new offense) – “I think kind of the unique thing about Adam (Gase) when you look at his history with running backs is he’s kind of used all different types of guys. I just think what he adds to what we currently have, like I said before, with the speed, the playmaking, the ability to play in space … This kid’s a tough kid. He’s a very good special teams player as well as returning kicks. This guy loves to cover kicks. You can watch him, he goes downfield, he makes tackles. We spent a lot of time with this player as well, so this was someone we targeted as well.”
Chris Grier – April 29, 2016 (on Leonte Carroo)
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Friday, April 29, 2016
General Manager Chris Grier (on WR Leonte Carroo)
(On if Carroo was the best player available and what is intriguing about the pick) – “Yeah, it was the best player available. This was a guy who was a target player. This is a highly-competitive kid that loves football. He has 29 touchdowns in his career. This is a guy that adds toughness. He’s got speed for a big guy. He’s 5’11 7/8”, he’s basically six foot, 215 pounds, runs a 4.48. This guy’s been a good player there for Rutgers. So he kind of filled a need. He can play special teams; he’ll compete for playing time right away. So this guy, again, checked a lot of boxes for size, speed, toughness, competitiveness, so we’re really thrilled to add him.”
(On what they gave up to get him) – “Some picks next year.”
(On Carroo comparing himself to a faster Anquan Boldin) – “He does. He’s a physical player. Adding that type of skill set to our receiver mix is important. With Coach (Adam) Gase and the staff, he’s talking about player’s versatility and ability to do different things. This guy can play inside, outside so we kind of liked what he added to our team.”
(On why they traded future picks for Carroo) – “This was a target player. With the coaching staff and the scouting staff, this was a player that we held in high regard. We had him here on a 30 visit, so we spent a lot of time with this kid. And the opportunity to get someone that can contribute, we think right away, on the field, in terms of as a receiver and on special teams … Again, this is a guy we are really high on.”
(On what he can bring to the offense) – “(He brings) the ability to play inside and out. And for a big guy he also has vertical speed. Again, it’s the flexibility to do a lot of things in Adam (Gase)’s offense and we’ll see what he can do. We’re just really excited to have this player.”
(On the competition among the wide receivers now) – “We added another alpha personality, so it’ll be interesting.”
(On the importance of having ‘alpha’ personalities on the team right now) – “I think the teams that win in this league are physically and mentally tough. You have to understand that if you lose two games in a row, the season’s not over … and you just collapse, and then, you know … Again, I think you add players that love to compete and love to play the game. When you add a bunch of those guys to your roster and to your core, that’s just contagious and makes your team better.”
(On whether they plan on going to camp with the current receivers they have on the roster) – “Yeah, currently right now. But you know you’re always waiting to see if any other opportunities arise.”
(On what the team accomplished in the first two days of the draft) – “I think filling a lot of needs, but getting the best players available too. Again, we added speed, size, toughness – all the things we talked about adding to the roster.”
(On if this can be a potent offense) – “It remains to be seen, but we’re excited with all the pieces we have.”
Leonte Carroo – April 29, 2016
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Friday, April 29, 2016
Wide Receiver Leonte Carroo
(On what he does well as a receiver) – “I catch the ball very well. I’m a very confident receiver that’s very physical. I rely on my speed a lot and I go up and make plays. I had 29 career touchdowns and I only had three career drops in my whole entire career. I take a lot of pride in the way I catch and also the way I block as a receiver.”
(On his ankle injury last season and whether it is okay now) – “Yes, sir. My ankle is 100 percent healthy and I’m ready to go.”
(On whether he had conversations with the Dolphins prior to the draft) – “Yes, sir. I actually went on a visit that went really well. I really enjoyed my visit. It was an awesome visit. I got to meet with all the coaches and now I’m happy to be a Dolphin.”
(On what it was like to see himself get drafted) – “It’s been a long process. I’m a very confident guy and I feel like I’m a guy who put in a lot of hard work throughout college. (I am) definitely a guy who felt that he was first-round talent and I’m just blessed to be in this position of being drafted and especially getting drafted to a great organization like the Miami Dolphins. I’m just happy for my family right now and all my friends and all the people that sacrificed for me to be in the position that I’m in today.”
(On if there was a receiver in the NFL that he compared himself to and looked up to) – “My favorite wide receiver growing up was Marvin Harrison. That’s the reason why I like to catch the ball the way I do because I’ve never seen him drop a pass. But as far as a receiver that I think I am, I’m a much faster Anquan Boldin, someone that has the ability to stretch the field and go deep and also be a possession receiver that’s very physical, as well. ”
(On how exciting it is for him to be playing alongside with WR DeVante Parker and WR Jarvis Landry) – “I’m very excited. As a sophomore, I got to play against DeVante when he was at Louisville, and I got to see what type of great, physical receiver he is. I’m a huge fan of Jarvis Landry. The accomplishments he’s made in the past two seasons … watching him at LSU, it’s an honor to play against those guys. I’m going in to have the mindset that I’m going to be as hungry as can be and learn from those guys. But at the same time, I’m going in to compete and try to win a starting spot as well.”
(On if he knows any players on the Dolphins personally) – “No, actually.”
Mike Tannenbaum, Adam Gase and Laremy Tunsil – April 29, 2016
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Friday, April 29, 2016
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum, Head Coach Adam Gase and Tackle Laremy Tunsil
Mike Tannenbaum:
(Opening statement) – “We appreciate everyone’s patience. We’re back here to introduce Laremy Tunsil as the next member of the Dolphins. As we said a few minutes ago, we’re really excited that Laremy is here. (We) thought it was a great opportunity for the organization. We expect Laremy to come in and contribute. Where he plays, again as we said, Coach (Adam) Gase will decide that. But we’re excited that Laremy is here. Congratulations.”
Laremy Tunsil:
“Thank you. I’m excited to be here. It’s a blessed opportunity just to be in the NFL, just to be a part of the Miami Dolphins organization. ”
(On if he has had a chance to put his night into perspective) – “Like I said, (I’m) just excited to be a part of this organization.”
(On what he would say to Dolphins fans that think he has character issues) – “Just know they got a good guy that puts everything on the line for the team.”
(On what the past 24 hours have been like for him) – “It’s been good to me. I’m drafted. I’m in the NFL. So I’m happy.”
(On if he can clarify who hacked into his account) – “I don’t know (anything) about that. I’m here to talk about the Miami Dolphins.”
(On what happened today to make him ill) – “I don’t know what happened. I had an allergic reaction. The doctor took care of me so I’m good.”
(On if he felt woozy or fainted) – “No. I just had an allergic reaction.”
(On if it was something he ate) – “Probably.”
(On whether an allergic reaction has happened to him before) – “Yes, it has.
(On whether the text messages posted to his Instagram account were accurate) – “I’m here to talk about the Miami Dolphins.”
(On where he anticipates playing on the offensive line) – “Anywhere they put me would be fine. If coach wants me to play quarterback, coach wants (me) to play receiver, tight end – hopefully tight end – but whatever he wants me to play.” (laughter)
(On whether he has previously played guard) – “Like I said, whatever position he puts me in will be fine.”
(On how much he knew about the Dolphins prior to the draft) – “I’m from Florida, actually, so I know a lot about the Miami Dolphins. Being from Florida, I knew a lot about the Dolphins.”
(On whether he grew up a Dolphins fan) – “No, I grew up a Saints fan.” (laughter)
Mike Tannenbaum:
“We just found that out.” (laughter)
Laremy Tunsil:
(On the Dolphins’ history of left tackles and where he hopes to fit into that lineage) – “Like I said, wherever you put me will be great. I heard a lot of good things about the tackles.”
(On how his conversations with Head Coach Adam Gase have gone) – “Pretty good.” (laughter)
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Adam was really disappointed we took an offensive player.” (laughter)
Laremy Tunsil:
(On whether there is a player he admires) – “I liked Tyron Smith from the Dallas Cowboys.”
(On why he admires Tyron Smith) – “His game. The way he plays is nice.”
(On whether he was able to sleep last night) – “Like I said, I’m blessed just to be here. It’s a great opportunity.”
(On handling adversity with an upbeat attitude) – “Like I said before, it’s a blessing just to be here, just to be in the NFL and to be a part of this organization.”
(On if he can shed light on his comments from last night) – “I’m just here to talk about the Miami Dolphins.”
(On the Dolphins’ willingness to draft him) – “They gave me a chance and (I’m going to show them) why. I’m the best player and I should be in the draft.”
(On the dangers of social media) – “Like I said, I’m blessed.”
(On whether he has seen QB Ryan Tannehill play much) – “No, but he texted me yesterday, so that’s a sign of (knowing) he has my back.”
(On what he would say to people about his character) – “No character issues at all.”
(On if he can help protect QB Ryan Tannehill) – “I’m coming here to help the team anyway I can.”
Mike Tannenbaum, Chris Grier and Adam Gase – April 29, 2016 (on Laremy Tunsil)
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Friday, April 29, 2016
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum, General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Adam Gase (on G/T Laremy Tunsil)
Mike Tannenbaum:
(Opening Statement) – “Good afternoon. Thanks everybody for coming. We’re obviously very excited that we’re able to draft Laremy Tunsil last night. We thought it was a great moment for our organization. Again, I want to thank Chris Grier and all the hard work him and the entire personnel department has done. We’re really excited that he was there when he was available at 13. We have a great vision for him moving forward. Unfortunately, Laremy had an allergic reaction this afternoon so right now he’s with our medical staff. And hopefully it’s just a quick, short-term thing. But with that, we’d be happy to answer any questions.”
(On any questions or worries that were raised after a video surfaced of Tunsil last night) – “As Chris mentioned last night, we were very thorough in our process, starting with Matt Winston, our area scout. (We) felt good about his character. Obviously there were some mistakes that were made in his past. We were comfortable with that. All the research we had done; we’re very comfortable with his character. The decision was made by the entire organization, including Steve Ross, our owner. And we’re very comfortable with Laremy, the player and the person.”
(On the team’s current philosophy regarding high-character players) – “We remain committed to that. And I think Adam (Gase), Chris (Grier), myself, Steve Ross – all the decision makers were in the room last night. We feel good about Laremy, again as a player and as a person. Obviously there had been some bumps in the road, but we’re comfortable with that. Moving forward, we’re excited that he’s here and think he has a bright future on the field, as well as off (the field).”
(On how much additional information Tunsil was able to share about the video) – “Again, as Chris alluded to, we looked at the entire body of work, the person going all the way back to high school. We were familiar with all the information. We were comfortable with making the decision that at 13, he was available. We were very excited. We’re comfortable with him and his character, his work ethic. We were obviously familiar with the video, but for us it was still the decision we felt was right for us.”
Adam Gase:
(On how Tunsil fits into the offensive line) – “We’re going to play the best five, so however that works out. We’ve got a long ways to go before we really have to make any kind of decision like that. Right now he looks like he fits in pretty good with that offensive line room.”
(On who would be most likely to play guard) – “We’ll see how it plays out. Like I said, we’ve got a long ways to go. I’m not going to make any predictions on anything and say what we’re going to do and give away what we’re going to do quite yet. We’re going to see how it plays out. We’ve got three more weeks of Phase 2, and then we’re going to have OTAs and a minicamp, and then we’re going to get through training camp. I think our first game is about four-plus months away, so we’ve got some time.”
(On what he sees in Tunsil as a football player) – “I see a guy that’s played at an extremely high level in a very good conference and a guy that’s going to be able to transition to our league very quickly. Obviously this is a guy that we felt like was one of the better players in this draft class, if not the best guy. And for him to fall to us at 13, it was a no brainer.”
(On Tunsil’s current ability as a run blocker) – “He’s going to be good enough as a run blocker. I know in this league, you better be able to pass pro(tect). If people don’t think he’s a good enough run blocker, we’ll figure out a way to coach him up on that one.”
(On if he has potential as a guard) – “We’ll figure out a way to get him on the field, whether it’s (at) guard or tackle. We’re going to play the best five.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On whether they anticipate Tunsil to be begin his career in the NFL’s substance abuse program) – “We’re comfortable with his eligibility. We expect him to be ready to go for rookie minicamp. Anything beyond that would be a league matter. Our expectations are (that) he’ll be ready to go.”
Chris Grier:
(On the gap between Tunsil and the next highest rated player on their draft board) – “Not to get into specifics, (but) there was a big gap. This is a player that … It was an opportunity for us to add a good player to our roster that we’re happy to have. This guy is … You’ve seen all the things. There was talk about (how) some people were saying this guy was the best player in the draft. For us, it was an opportunity. We were comfortable. We talked to everyone from his high school coaches, college coaches, and we met with them. We had all the information on this player from February on.”
Adam Gase:
(On whether there was a specific point where they believed drafting Tunsil was a possibility) – “I think it was when Tennessee traded up to (No.) 8 and then they didn’t take him. That’s kind of where a couple of us sat up, got a little interested. (laughter)”
Adam Gase:
(On whether there was any hesitation about the decision) – “None. I’m pretty sure … Was I yelling at you to turn the card in?” (laughter)
Mike Tannenbaum:
“We were comfortable. Again, being in the draft room, all those scenarios are laid out. When he’s there – and it’s our turn – we were ready to go.”
Adam Gase:
(On what Laremy Tunsil had an allergic reaction to) – “We’re trying to find that out right now.”
(On whether Laremy Tunsil is OK following an allergic reaction) – “He’s with our medical people right now.”
Mike Tannebaum:
(On what caused the allergic reaction) – “He had been in the building for a number of hours. He’s with our doctors now. As soon as we have more information, we’ll let everyone know.”
(On whether South Florida can be a distraction to prospects and the potential dangers of social media) – “(To answer) the first part of your question, I think we fall back on an incredible process led by Chris (Grier), (Director of Player Personnel) Joe Schoen, (College Scout) Adam Engroff. Our college guys do such a great job (of) having information on all these prospects going back to high school. We’re very comfortable that when we select a player, that in our environment – on the field and off the field – that they’re going to be here and have a chance to be successful. As it relates to social media and how other teams make their decisions, I can’t speak for them. I can speak for us to say that we were comfortable knowing that, look, there are things out there that I’m sure he’s going to learn from. Obviously, mistakes were made. But again, our decision was based on the player and a big body of work. We fell back on a great process and felt like it was a tremendous opportunity for us. What he does moving forward is what’s really most important.”
Adam Gase:
(On how rare it is to have three first-round draft picks on the offensive line) – “It’s rare, but we’ll figure out a way to make it work. We’re excited as an organization. I’m sure our offensive line coach (Chris Foerster) … He’s going to be okay.”
Chris Grier:
(On whether drafting a cornerback will be a priority going forward) – “Again, we’re not one player away. We’re just going to follow the board again. Whoever the best player is for the Miami Dolphins, we’ll make that selection.”
Laremy Tunsil – April 28, 2016
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Thursday, April 28, 2016
Tackle Laremy Tunsil
(On what was going through his mind prior to being drafted) – “It’s just a blessing to be in the green room, just to be a part of the NFL, just to be part of the Miami Dolphins organization. It was a solemn moment, but hey, I’m happy for everybody that went above me. Like I said, I have a chip on my shoulder, and I can’t wait to play football.”
(On how long ago the video was taken) – “That video was (taken) years ago. It was years ago. Like I said, people (are) hacking my account. I don’t know what’s going. I can’t control nothing (about that). The only thing I can control is what’s going on.”
(On whether the video was taken two years ago) – “Right.”
(On why someone would try to sabotage his draft night) – “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know why they hacked my account. Hey, I’m just as clueless as you all.”
(On whether there are similar videos out there) – “No, sir. Not at all.”
(On whether his Instagram account was also hacked in addition to his Twitter account) – “Yes, they both were hacked. Like I said, I can’t control it. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s just crazy. It’s a crazy moment right now. I wish I (could) control it, but I can’t. I don’t know how they (are) hacking my phone. I don’t know how they (are) hacking my social media.”
(On whether the posts to his Instagram account were accurate) – “I don’t know what’s going on. Like I said, people are hacking my account. They’re hacking my Instagram account. They’re hacking my Twitter account. Like I said, I don’t know what’s going on. I’m new to this.”
(On whether he has a drug problem) – “I do not have a drug problem. You can check all of my college tests. I never failed one.”
(On who he believes hacked his social media accounts and why they would do that) – “Like I said, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know why they hacked my account. I don’t do (anything) to (anybody). I’m harmless.”
(On if he is angry about his accounts being hacked) – “I’m ready to play football. It’s the love for the game. It’s not all about the money. Like I said, I have a chip on my shoulder and I can’t wait to play for the Miami Dolphins organization.”
(On whether he would press charges against whomever hacked his accounts) – “No, I don’t want to press charges.”
(On what he would say to those who question his character) – “Don’t question my character. You can’t judge a book by its cover. I’m a good person, I’m a laid back guy. I don’t do much.”
(On whether the Dolphins knew about the video prior to the draft – “This video was launched like minutes before I got into the green room, and it’s crazy how somebody just hacked my account. And it’s crazy how they post videos like that.”
(On whether he can be a left tackle for the Dolphins) – “Whatever position they want me to play, I’m going to give it my all.”
Chris Grier – April 28, 2016 (on Laremy Tunsil)
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Thursday, April 28, 2016
General Manager Chris Grier (on G/T Laremy Tunsil)
(Opening Statement) – “Just quickly, we’re excited to add Laremy (Tunsil) to our roster. It was a great opportunity for us. We’re very comfortable with all the information we have on the situation that you guys will probably address. I’ll just open it up for questions because, obviously, the draft is still going on (and) I have to get back upstairs.”
(On how long the Dolphins have known about the video) – “We had heard rumors, but we had done work. We had known about it. The video is two years old. So, from all the information we had, we were comfortable with it.”
(On how old the video is) – “Two years old.”
(On what makes him believe this move will be a positive one) – “We’ve done a lot of work. (Director of Team Security) Stu Weinstein – as you guys know – is one of the best security guys in the league, security directors. (We have) done a great job of researching (Laremy Tunsil’s) background. We spent time with him at the combine. Our area scout, Matt Winston, has done a great job in terms of researching him, spending some time with him at the pro day. This is a guy … He has done personality tests, all the stuff we do. This is a guy … He loves football at the end of the day. This is a guy who’s ultra-competitive (when) you watch him play. This is a different situation from that. This guy’s different. He’s built different.”
(On whether they believed Tunsil would be available at No. 13) – “No. This is a guy … He was No. 2 ranked on our board. We did not expect him to be there.”
(On how he anticipates using three quality tackles) – “This happened … Obviously, we weren’t expecting this, but it was an opportunity we had to take. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase … We’ll play the five best players (on the offensive line). At the end of the day, injuries happen. We went through that last year, last season. But this guy is going to be, probably, one of our top five players playing.”
(On the time they spent with Tunsil and if they thought about trading up to select him) – “You do that because you talk about other things that have happened in the past. You never want to assume that ‘Oh this guy is going to be the first pick in the draft,’ and you never spend any time with him. We did that with (San Diego Chargers first-round pick DE) Joey Bosa last weekend. We wanted to make sure you always spend time and do your research on players, so we were comfortable with where he was and taking him.”
(On his understanding of the circumstances surrounding the Tunsil video and if he thinks it was a one-time thing) – “We know the story behind (the video). We’d rather leave that for maybe the kid to address, but we know the story behind it and we’re comfortable with what it is.”
(On the personality and character traits he likes about Tunsil) – “He’s a smart kid. He’s very football intelligent. We talked to the coaches and the staff there and when you go watch this guy practice and play, he loves ball. This guy is one of those grinders. There’s no doubt that this guy loves football and football is very important to him. So for us, we are very comfortable. And once you talk to him and spend a little time with him … I mean the coaches upstairs, the scouts, the room was jacked we got him.”
(On if Tunsil loves football more than he loves drugs) – “Yes.”
(On if Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner Stephen Ross was consulted before the selection of Tunsil and if Ross had to sign off on it) – “He doesn’t have to sign off. We told him who we wanted to pick and he was all on board, and he was as excited as we were when we got him.”
(On if he sees Tunsil playing tackle right away, specifically left tackle) – “I’ll let the coaches figure that out, where he’s going to play. Like I said, they’ll put the five best guys on the field for us.”
(On if he made calls between the time the Tunsil video was released and selecting him or if he already had that information ahead of time) – “We had some information. But obviously once it happened, we called some people we know to check and just triple check and make sure. And obviously before you take anyone when a guy falls like that, we went back and we dug into the research again and just made sure.”
Adam Gase – April 28, 2016
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Thursday, April 28, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On his overall thoughts about the voluntary veterans minicamp) – “It was good work. It was good to see our guys in person. I thought everybody was flying around. They were playing fast. We had fewer mistakes than I expected, as far as mentally. Guys were on it. I think the last two weeks of having our meetings … They (the players) stayed in it. (They) just didn’t blow that off. They took it serious and came out here and it felt like the guys were on it.”
(On if there was a play or moment that stood out to him) – “Not really. There were quite a few good things that were happening. The best part about when you go through a camp like this is trying to just make sure guys stay on their feet. And I thought our guys did a good job of making sure … (It was) kind of our first time of practicing together, and understanding that they are still our teammates to make sure we protect each other. And play fast but at the same time, protect each other.”
(On having C Mike Pouncey and LB Koa Misi return to practice today) – “Anytime guys are out there, that’s what we are looking for. This being a voluntary minicamp, anytime they show up, that’s great.”
(On LB Jelani Jenkins and CB Jamar Taylor not practicing today) – “Jamar is here and I know where Jelani is at. They’re both fine, if you guys are worried about them.”
(On if he is excited about the NFL draft tonight and what is going through his mind) – “I don’t know. We have like 10 more hours (before the draft), it feels like. We’ll see. I don’t know. I’m going to transition here probably in the next couple of hours. We’ve been meeting on this since February, so we’ll be ready to go.”
(On what he learned about his team during this voluntary minicamp) – “I think the No. 1 thing I learned about is I feel like there are a lot of guys that want to win. Just watching them practice, they’re not talking about it. (But) just watching them go through what they need to go through – individual (and) team periods – and seeing how fast they play. The fact that they’ve picked up what we asked them to learn in the playbook, I mean actions speak louder than words. Right now I like where our guys are at. We’ve got three weeks of Phase 2 and then we’ll get into OTAs and that’s … Phase 2 being our next step, and we’ll see how much better we can get in the next three weeks.”
(On what he is looking for in the offensive line when there is no contact in practice this time of year) – “It’s tough. But the hardest thing to do in the NFL is to be a great pass protector and that’s why we are leaning on a lot of … (We’re) doing a lot of passing game things right now. It’s a tough position for them with no pads. Our d-line is coming off the ball. It’s a great experience for (the offensive line) because it’s almost unrealistic for these guys right now. Their footwork, their hand placement, just making sure they’re in the right position … That’s our biggest evaluation going on right now.”
(On if there are two or three guys that surprised him this week) – “I don’t know if anybody has surprised me, necessarily. I think just seeing guys practice live, it just gives you a better feel of who our guys really are.”
(On if there is a position group that he feels really good about after practicing this week) – “I guess I feel good about all of our positions. You’re always looking to add depth. You want competition, that’s the thing. You just don’t want to be thin. So when you go into (training) camp and you’re sitting there, you want to be able to make hard cuts. You want to make sure you go ‘Wow, I can’t believe we are going to let this guy go because he’s a good football player,’ and then somebody else comes and picks him up. You just want to create depth at every position.”
(On whether it is a priority to find a backup center either now or in training camp) – “That’s why we have so many guys that are always … If you ever watch our quarterback-center exchange, there’s four guys going, and you’re always looking for, ‘Who’s our next best guy?’ Then you’re looking for the third best guy. When a center goes down, it can be devastating to your team if you don’t have a backup plan. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) has done a great job of figuring out who our guys are that we can target. We have to keep giving them reps, throwing (in) some awkward situations where all of a sudden, maybe we get in camp, and we pull (Mike) Pouncey out of there and throw the next guy in there and say, ‘Hey, you got to go. There’s no time to react.’”
(On how he would describe his offense) – “I think it’s such a combination of so many different influences. For myself, having (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen) here and getting back to some of the things that he did in Indy early on with Peyton (Manning) and Tom Moore and then some of the things he has learned in the West Coast (Offense). And (then having) my influences coming from (Mike) Martz and doing what we did in Denver and developing a different deal in Chicago. It’s just so many things combined. It’s hard to put your thumb on what exactly it is. I just know that we always look to be able to adapt from week-to-week and do what’s best for that game that marries up with our defense and special teams.”
(On the makeup of his ideal player) – “The guys that we’re looking for are those guys that (are) looking to win. They’re tough. They’re competitive. They’re selfless. They really have a love for this game. You want to find those guys that (think) there’s nothing else for them but this, and they just live and die by what happens with football. When you’re around guys like that – and the more guys you can get like that on your team – the better chance you’re going to have.”
(On how he identifies players with those ideal characteristics) – “It’s tough. You can do all the research you can. You talk to as many people, especially coming into the draft. You talk to every person you can. (If) you got a guy targeted in that school, talk to the equipment guys, trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, other players. (You) might grab some guy on campus. You try to find as many ways as you possibly can to figure out what kind of person that guy is. It’s hard to do, because you got to collect the information and sort through it. It’s a very hard thing to identify when you don’t know that person. When you get around somebody, you can figure it out really fast when you actually get in the heat of the moment.”
(On what scares him the most about this draft) – “I don’t know if anything scares me about the draft. I don’t have a good answer for that one. That’s the best answer I can give you right there.”
(On this being his first draft as a head coach) – “It’s football, man. This isn’t rocket science or anything. It’s football.”
(On whether first-, second- and third-round picks have to be immediate starters for a team) – “I think anytime you can … When you hit on those picks, that’s nice. We’ll see how this thing plays out. I can’t predict how this is going to shake out.”
(On whether the team can afford to draft depth players in the first three rounds) – “I don’t know. I’ll let you know when we get there.”
(On his involvement in the draft preparation) – “I was pretty involved. The staff was hired in January and we started draft meetings in February. I’ve heard about the same guys for it seems like forever now. I got a pretty good grip of it.”
(On if his involvement in the draft process this season will be the same as future seasons) – “Yes.”
(On possibly moving up in the draft) – “I don’t know. We’ll see what happens. We’ll see what happens when … What time does the draft start?” (Reporter: “Eight o’ clock”) “OK, so we’ll figure it out then.”
